by Jeff Lockridge and Brian Haas, USA TODAY Sports

by Jeff Lockridge and Brian Haas, USA TODAY Sports

Four Vanderbilt University football players were kicked off the team Saturday and banned from the campus amid a Metro police sex crimes investigation.

"The well-being of our students is of paramount concern to us, and we will not tolerate any actions that threaten student safety and security," said Beth Fortune, Vanderbilt's vice chancellor for public affairs, in a statement.

Friday, Metro police said that sex crimes detectives were investigating a case that arose Wednesday at a Vanderbilt University dorm. Shortly after revealing that investigation, Vanderbilt University suspended the four players.

Both police and the university have acknowledged that the action against the players was related to Metro's sex crimes investigation. In a Saturday email to The Tennessean, Vanderbilt athletics director David Williams wrote that he had "no statement at this time."

Police have declined to elaborate on exactly what they were investigating. None of the players has been named, and no arrests had been made by late Saturday. It's unclear how damaging the case could be to the university or its football program, particularly as the exact nature of the investigation remains secret.

It's not unusual for football players to be on campus during summer break. Vanderbilt has nearly 100 players on campus this summer participating in team workouts, and most of them are attending summer classes. Their workouts are supervised by strength and conditioning coach Dwight Galt -- the coaching staff cannot be involved.

Many members of the coaching staff were on vacation last week, including head coach James Franklin, who has not returned messages seeking comment. Nobody answered the door at his Green Hills home Saturday.

The latest investigation is not the first time police became involved with Vanderbilt players under Franklin's tenure.

In May, it was uncovered that the violation of team rules that prompted reserve defensive back Jacquese Kirk's transfer stemmed from an April 7 nightclub fight in which he admitted to stabbing ex-Vanderbilt offensive lineman Justin Cabbagestalk with a pocket knife, according to police documents. Cabbagestalk, who had his own past run-ins with the law, chose not to press charges.

In November 2011, reserve safety Andre Simmons was suspended indefinitely and later dismissed for involvement in an armed robbery of a fellow student in which about $5,000 was stolen. Simmons was charged with two felonies. The charges were later deferred and he was put on probation.

Other players have been removed for violating team rules. In March, starting defensive tackle Jared Morse was kicked off the team but was readmitted to the school and team this summer. In January 2012, starting center Logan Stewart was kicked off the team.

Jeff Lockridge and Brian Haas write for The Tennessean in Nashville, a Gannett affiliate.